idrw.org
@Nilgiri @Gessler
Is there an actual possibility?
Been hearing it from the last year.
Hard to say...there is no active intent or roadmap to procure a 6th gen capability at the moment. Without such a directive/request from IAF, the Govt is not going to fund any program.
In the future (~2040-2050s), the MKIs will need a next-gen replacement centered around air-superiority roles. AMCA is not designed for that role as a primary concern so it cannot be the replacement, it will only replace the Mirage-2000s & MiG-29s. So I would say that there is indeed room in the IAF's fleet for a fighter like the Tempest or FCAS.
I'd think that within the next 5 or so years the intent will be in place to pursue a long term 6th gen capability. By that point the two major European ventures which are currently on a pretty unstable/undefined path (especially the Franco-German collaboration***) would take a more firm shape wrt the requirements & partners. At that point a decision could be made to join either. Joining later usually means less access to tech, but the IAF alone would probably present a requirement of between 200-300 airframes (~270 MKIs will need to be replaced) so either consortium would be fools to turn them down.
Besides, the negotiations for AMCA Mk-2 engine program are such that both consortiums appear to be offering a joint development + joint IP ownership contract for a futuristic engine that most probably shares the same core as the one going into their upcoming 6th gen programs, or at least technology heavily derived from that. With the powerplant tech in hand, it's also possible that ADA-HAL could attempt to develop their own 6th gen air superiority program.
Too early to say.
*** Personally I think it's likely that Germany will exit the FCAS/SCAF program due to disagreements with France's carrier-compatible requirements. They've already bought into the F-35 so they'll be less desperate for a VLO capability. If that happens, India will become France's preferred partner and they might offer a much sweeter deal at that point.